Eurogamer re-reviews SWTOR

[AshenK]

The Author: http://www.eurogamer.net/author/819

 

From his articles, he seems to plain just not like MMOs.

I guess you didn't read them.

 

He points out that MMO's along with gaming isn't fun anymore and hey guess what? He's right.

 

Look at the last year in gaming was there really anything good? TOR failed, Skyrim was boring, Mass Effect 3 was one of the worst things to ever come out. Diablo 3 failed, Halo 4 is awful, we have yet another Call of Duty, Borderlands 2 bombed, the remake of XCOM did as well as I knew it would no one got it. And MMO's? Tera was okay but got boring fast. TSW had some nice ideas they just really need to give the players more freedom like SWG had. GW2 is really the only stand out title and even then it gets boring fast.

 

Really what we need at this point are more games like SWG Pre-CU. We need less content made by the Dev's and more content by the players. We need great systems like SWG Jedi back, you know unlocking something really cool for putting in tons of hard work. Not paying $5 bucks and getting it.

 

Really he gets it much better then most reviewers.

[Fornix]

I guess you didn't read them.

 

He points out that MMO's along with gaming isn't fun anymore and hey guess what? He's right.

 

Look at the last year in gaming was there really anything good? TOR failed, Skyrim was boring, Mass Effect 3 was one of the worst things to ever come out. Diablo 3 failed, Halo 4 is awful, we have yet another Call of Duty, Borderlands 2 bombed, the remake of XCOM did as well as I knew it would no one got it. And MMO's? Tera was okay but got boring fast. TSW had some nice ideas they just really need to give the players more freedom like SWG had. GW2 is really the only stand out title and even then it gets boring fast.

 

Really what we need at this point are more games like SWG Pre-CU. We need less content made by the Dev's and more content by the players. We need great systems like SWG Jedi back, you know unlocking something really cool for putting in tons of hard work. Not paying $5 bucks and getting it.

 

Really he gets it much better then most reviewers.

 

The fact that you're bored with gaming, doesn't mean the world needs more trash like SWG Pre-CU, or any form of SWG for that matter.

[sstanks]

Maybe penalized is the wrong word, since you are all stuck on some tirade about XP and how you can finish the game quicker. Lets use a new word.... Discourage. The game discourages you from grouping.

 

Thats it for me. Its dinner time. Enjoy your biodrone moments. Im sure its more fun then the game.. after all. You are here instead of playing this fantastic MMO right?

 

except you get more XP from doing group work as well as social points. The best gear while leveling and end game is all given through group work. They even put class quests next to each other.

 

Not sure how it discourages you from grouping.

[Erishumlol]

That's funny, didn't you just say:

 

 

 

If you're allowed to do something other than play the game why can't anyone else?

 

 

I know eh, we play the game and post on the forums as well but it seems like all he does is troll on the forums because he is butt mad that EA took his money.

 

It's really sad tbh.

Edited November 26, 2012 by Erishumlol

[Darkshadz]

The game encourages you to solo for 50 levels and then changes to forced grouping at 50. That is poor design. Thats my arguement.

 

"Forced grouping" as in doing flashpoints and WZs?

[tolaf]

I would rate the game at 6/10, but it would get a 4/10 if you add the dissapointment factor.

[Evensong]

One thing is sure... looking at number of posts posted just in one day, I would say that number of subscribers in SWTOR skyrocketed!!!!! Edited November 26, 2012 by Evensong

[Willhousefour]

The score is inconsistent with the review. I would never recommend someone try out a 4/10 game yet in the 6th paragraph the author does just that. If I considered a game a 4/10, I would stop playing, move on to a game I would rate higher (start at 10s, then 9s, then 8s), and never look back, but we have people posting comments on this thread saying they agree with the review implying that they are still around. To them I say: What are you doing? Go talk about or play a game you like. You don't have to spend your time telling us why we shouldn't like a game. I like it for now. Sorry.

 

In spite of the score, I think the author rightly chastises some of the stupid free to play restrictions. Rezzing and cost increases? Come on! Of course this doesn't effect me because I subscribe and I still don't agree that it drops things down to a 4.

[Vlacke]

One thing is sure... looking at number of posts posted just in one day, I would say that number of subscribers in SWTOR skyrocketed!!!!!

 

It has increased most definitely, resident forum trolls might beg the differ but then again, who cares.

[AngelFluttershy]

This thread took off and is moving far too fast to generate anything constructive at this point. I skimmed the first 15 pages of comments and there just seems to be a lot of egos in the room, which does nothing to promote constructive debates about the actual subject. Calm down and come back later so you don't continue arguing semantics with others who obviously just like fueling the fire.

 

As for the review itself, I did read it and found it to be a bad review. Not because of the rating, but the writing itself. This article was plagued with grammatical errors, typos, and questionable word choice. People have been saying it reads like a rant because, for the most part, it does. Granted, there were spot-on sections hidden in the review, but overall it's just flowerly bashing of a very debated title. The author's objective was to re-review SWTOR, but all he did that could support his 4/10 was detail the F2P system. The other game mechanics he discussed, like story and gameplay, were glossed over and didn't provide any real support to his argument. Stating that other MMOs do story better "just because I say they are" doesn't do much for his review, let alone his credibility.

 

Now, if he dropped some of the adjectives he grabbed out of a thesaurus and just reviewed F2P I would say that this article is pretty accurate. Most of the restrictions are absurd, and his statement about how the system generally pushes players away is spot-on:

The Old Republic's biggest failing as a free-to-play game, though, is its attitude. It doesn't simply push you to subscribe. It levies so many petty restrictions that it ends up feeling like the goal wasn't to attract newcomers so much as spite any who dared show up. One of many examples: if you don't at least unlock Preferred status by spending a few quid (or returning to an old account), you're not allowed to Sprint until Level 15. Yes, that was the case at launch. It was changed shortly afterwards because the maps are huge, and getting around them at walking pace was and remains a deeply miserable experience.

 

TL;DR The review sucked because the author didn't proofread and edit his work.

Edited November 26, 2012 by AngelFluttershy

[tolaf]

It has increased most definitely, resident forum trolls might beg the differ but then again, who cares.

 

An increasing population does not make a game better quality.

[Slowpokeking]

One thing is sure... looking at number of posts posted just in one day, I would say that number of subscribers in SWTOR skyrocketed!!!!!

 

That's why I don't blame people who keep gave very negative opinion on this board, hey they are paying money for this game.

[LordArtemis]

I would say this review is mostly on the mark. There are some items, IMO, that cant be remedied, but others that would be very easy to fix.

 

I do feel that Bioware is till putting forth content without listening to players first. For instance, more than one person indicated that F2P wasn't ready yet for a few reasons. My reasoning was that more needed to be offered (should have launched with name change, legacy name change, transfers, appearance change and character slot unlocks in place), and armor should have been level one across the board with very meager mods installed, helmets offered and the ability to have a true smuggler or imperial officer look.

 

Despite some opinions here I think we play the game, we know what it needs to appeal to a wider audience. I know what turned me off to the game initially and what got me to resub...they need more of the latter and less of the former.

 

Here are a few things that I think are vital to changing the game's overall appeal on the market.

 

1) Additions to the market.

 

Helmets and more outfits, level one sets, character appearance, companion appearance (direct, not dropins), chest color change, transfers, renames, legacy renames, legacy cargo hold with bank, all basic vendor speeders, character slot unlocks.

 

2) Finish the codex system. Add investigative items with rewards to the system (accomplishments).

 

3) Rework the group finder system to display folks in que and their class/chosen roles.

 

4) Revamp the GTN, remove non-working search criteria, allow single choice searches (choosing standard displays everything, results can then be whittled down as more criteria is chosen).

 

5) Open up existing worlds that have very restrictive pathing a bit (Taris for example) by adding more paths, bridges, etc.

 

6) Add chat bubbles for /say use with toggle, sitting in all chairs, proper meditation, sleeping, swimming.

 

7) Convert all experience a player would have received from leveling in class stories and the like into credits after they hit the level cap.

 

8) Add a mission generator to the game (see my sig).

 

9) Add enhancements to crew skills (see my sig).

 

10) Revamp current space combat system to allow multiplayer, add turrets to all ships, allow groups to play on a players ship or in their own ship in the pipe.

 

11) Allow all armor to be converted to either empty orange adaptive armor OR schematics for the same.

 

12) Allow Starships to be customized inside and out, outside with colors, patterns, symbols, inside with SWG housing style decorating system (NO HOOKS), add trophies, banners and other decorative items into the game for use on the ship.

 

13) Add a BF2 style persistent space battleground with PVP and PVE areas that includes Starship, fighter and "on foot" combat and objectives.

 

14) Add missions that randomly generate in space travel while on your Starship (can be toggled off) that involve the ship directly, like repel boarders, short space combat missions, investigation, travel to point and investigate on foot, etc.

 

15) Add land button on the bridge that allows you to land and exit the ship without using the door, and eventually just land the ship...allowing folks to sit in their ship inside hangers, add backdrop boxes for outside of windows or just blast shields that cover windows when docked.

 

16) Add swoop racing, pazaak and PVE arenas like you had in KotOR.

 

It is important to increase repeatable "sandboxy" style content immediately IMO. The game desperately needs personalization content to generate obsession and dedication, something the game lacks at the moment from my perspective.

[wrmrstacrdwower]

That's why I don't blame people who keep gave very negative opinion on this board, hey they are paying money for this game.

 

I'm actually not.

[Slowpokeking]

To be fair, after the class stories, this game just does not attract me too much. I just want to see more class stories in the future.

[Korusus]

An increasing population does not make a game better quality.

 

But it does make EAWare much more likely to greenlight future expansion content if they feel like the potential market is bigger than just the current subscribers. If the population remained where it was just before F2P launched...I wouldn't be surprised if Makeb were the last VO'ed content we received.

[tolaf]

But it does make EAWare much more likely to greenlight future expansion content if they feel like the potential market is bigger than just the current subscribers. If the population remained where it was just before F2P launched...I wouldn't be surprised if Makeb were the last VO'ed content we received.

 

More money does not mean better content, for that you need a competent design team, something SWTOR is lacking at the moment.

[Korusus]

More money does not mean better content, for that you need a competent design team, something SWTOR is lacking at the moment.

 

Hey I said it would be expansion content, not that it would be good.

 

Otherwise I agree with you. Everything we're receiving now is stuff that's been in the works from the day the game launched. And after that we've heard nothing.

 

My opinion is that anything that encourages F2P players to stick around is a good thing, I don't care if they have to give more of the game away for free now, that's an investment on their part. I agree though, this current dev team doesn't fill me with confidence about the quality of future content.

[LordArtemis]

More money does not mean better content, for that you need a competent design team, something SWTOR is lacking at the moment.

 

Frankly, and this is my own unqualified opinion which means next to nothing, the original design team lacked experience and foresight...I don't know if I would go as far as competence, but they definitely seemed arrogant to me.

 

I can't really speak to the new team...only to say, IMO, that they F2P system, though lacking in a few aspects, is one of the best improvements to the game since launch...not to ignore a few of the good changes in 1.4 (though the PVE changes that favored PVP were obtuse IMO).

 

IMO the game has taken far too long to change some of it's worst aspects, and at least now it seems to have a chance to change and perhaps increase its overall appeal.

 

Bioware...what you have done up until now DID NOT WORK. Time to listen to your players.

[Brittaany_Banks]

LOL I swear. A 42 page thread started because of the review of a former player that quit the game for a year, came back, didn't like the game because they did not add all the stuff HE wanted and then slammed it.

 

Somehow this anecdotal opinion of the game is supposed to doom it? GMAFB.

[Eszi]

ITT: People who can't handle the fact that other people can have a different opinion.

[LordArtemis]

LOL I swear. A 42 page thread started because of the review of a former player that quit the game for a year, came back, didn't like the game because they did not add all the stuff HE wanted and then slammed it.

 

Somehow this anecdotal opinion of the game is supposed to doom it? GMAFB.

 

That seems rather dismissive. And how does that make your opinion any different than the reviewer? Other than perhaps being much shorter.

 

There is a discussion here with some folks chatting about what can be done to improve the game overall. Would you have that conversation silenced? And if so, for what reason?

[wrmrstacrdwower]

LOL I swear. A 42 page thread started because of the review of a former player that quit the game for a year, came back, didn't like the game because they did not add all the stuff HE wanted and then slammed it.

 

Somehow this anecdotal opinion of the game is supposed to doom it? GMAFB.

You can only get a GMAFB if your a subscriber or for 900 Cartel Coins.

 

And it isn't account wide.

[GrandMike]

To be fair, after the class stories, this game just does not attract me too much. I just want to see more class stories in the future.

 

It doesnt attract pretty much anyone, so youre not alone, 2,3m+ people see it that way.

 

Unfortunately they decided to NOT do anything about it but just change how are people supposed to pay for a game they themselves admit isnt worth paying for.

 

It has a chance like snowball in hell ha ha

Edited November 27, 2012 by GrandMike

[sinosleep]

You can only get a GMAFB if your a subscriber or for 900 Cartel Coins.

 

And it isn't account wide.